BUKOVINAFEST 2000 – PRESENTERS
Bukovina Society of the Americas
Ellis and Hays, Kansas
August 10-13, 2000
Michael Augustin is a mechanical engineer now working in logistics, which brings him on occasion to the United States. He was born in Bavaria and spent most of his life in the Stuttgart area. He began genealogy research five years ago, primarily on Fürstenthal, and is tracing the settlers back to the Bohemian Forest. He can trace a relationship with many of the Bukovinafest registrants. Michael and his wife have a boy and a girl twin children, and a daughter.
Irmgard Hein Ellingson is on study leave from her teaching duties at S. Winneshiek High School in Calmar, Iowa. She is a founding board member of the society. She is an author and frequent speaker on Bukovina history, both at Bukovinafest and for other international societies. She is also working with Ukrainian Volhynia history, a part of her ancestry.
Joe Erbert manages the Ellis Credit Union in Ellis. He is a musician and among his instruments is the dulcimer he made and plays. He is a founding board member and has serves as society secretary.
Aura Lee Furguson has origins among the Schwabian Lutherans from Bukovina who migrated to Ellis. She is an International Board member of the society and is doing genealogy work on her family.
Julie and Ralph Honas have both been volunteers for the society. Ralph is a past president and serves on the board. They live in Ellis and are hosts to international guests at the Bukovinafests.
Dr. William Keel is professor of German at the University of Kansas; his Ph.D. was in Germanic Linguistics from Indiana University. He has studied at the University of Bonn and directs a summer language institute in Germany for KU. He researches German settlement dialects in Kansas, performs German folk music and has produced two albums. The Kansas Humanities Council sponsors his presentation.
Van Massirer is a charter member of the Bukovina Society and serves as an International Board member. Van was born on the farm and ranch home to his family for 104 years and now operates it. He graduated from Baylor University and served in the U S Air Force. He followed up a teenage interest in family history with serious research since 1972 and is active in Texas German interest societies. Van organized the 1997 society meeting in Waco.
Erich Slawski and his wife Ingeborg live in Cologne. He retired after 30 years with an American computer company. He has done extensive research of Bukovina ancestry for three years. His genealogy “infection” was from his wife’s cousin.
Dr. Sophie Welisch is Professor Emeritus of History, Dominican College of Blauvelt, New York. She is a founding board member of the society and frequent presenter. She is author of numerous articles, book reviews, and books on Bukovina, including translations. She is a regular contributor to the newsletter.
Werner Zoglauer retired from banking in Chicago and now works many hours on Bukovina society research and enjoys Bukovina related travel. He continues to enlarge the database, which is available to members during the convention.